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Old 01-27-2014, 03:12 PM   #11
mathewjgano
 
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Dojo: Tsubaki Kannagara Jinja Aikidojo; Himeji Shodokan Dojo
Location: Renton
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Re: Aikido as an actual Martial Art

I'm not an expert, but for the sake of trying to refine my own thinking on these ideas:
There's a lot of divergence within the Aikido world. There are a lot of different goals and some styles are definitely more martially oriented than others. Some are more art than martial. And then there's the varieties between those two ends of the spectrum...and that's just the schools themselves, never mind the individuals applying whatever they're learning in their own way. You can see how some of whatever version of Aikido you're learning has practical use and some of it doesn't...or is at least less obvious. Different aspects will lend themselves differently based on the context they're being used in.
Quote:
Abdul Rashid wrote: View Post
One of my concerns right now is whether my training would work for me in a fight . If it does not , i shall try to find ways to make it work . I cannot seem to find people teaching aikido in a practical way . Everyone now seems to be doing the same old , shomen uchi , yokomen uchi etc . I understand that is the traditional stuff . But don't we need to evolve at the same time ?
Yes and no. On one hand we're learning how to use the body, which is somewhat timeless; on the other hand, I think it depends on the nature of the school. A lot of schools cross-train, for example. I get the impression Aikido can be viewed as a healthful activity which allows for a variety of purposes...so people of all ages and ability can practice safely together. The personal emphasis of the teachers will of course shape what the students can choose from, but as a general rule, this is how I view Aikido: It's generally less about fighting than it is fostering healthy living.
Quote:
Another one of my concerns is that people telling me aikido cannot be used in a fight as it is " really dangerous , deadly " or either " it is the art of peace "
I'm sure for some it is a cop-out, but I also think there is a valid point to be made there. Fighting can be dangerous and testing your skill can be less important than being able to keep using your shoulder. I love it when my kohai resist my efforts because I usually feel confident enough to deal with it safely. I am also very happy to tell them, "you beat me," even if I am sure I still could have reclaimed the initiative. For me the risk simply isn't worth it and I'd rather check my ego since it effects me more on a day-to-day basis than whether or not I can toss someone who's trying to pummel me. We all live under different circumstances and that will be reflected in how we respond to different hypotheticals.
Quote:
I don't see any aikidoka now trained to fight . Most of them seem fat , skinny , overweight going along with " Oh , you don't need strength in aikido " excuse.
Keep looking, they're out there. I suppose there can be a fine line between authentic reasons and cheap excuses.

Last edited by mathewjgano : 01-27-2014 at 03:21 PM.

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